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The story of a people lost in the Appalachians for 
nearly two hundred years, told in a 

Mountain Pageant 

OF 

Historic Tableaux and Symbolic Figures 

To be accompanied with music 
BY 

Martha S. Gielow 

AUTHOR OF 

Old Andy the Moonshiner; Old Plantation Days; 
Mammy's Reminiscences, Fugitive Poems, Etc. 



This beautiful drama can be used in the interest of the work 
of the Southern Industrial Educational Association, of which 
Mrs. Gielow is founder; and all schools, clubs, churches or other 
organizations wishing to present something new, original, historic 
and educational, can secure that privilege by giving a stipulated 
guarantee for the benefit of the work of the Association. 



THIS PAGEANT IS COPYRIGHTED BY THE AUTHOR 

WITH ALL DRAMATIC RIGHTS RESERVED. 

INCLUDING DRAMATIC PERFORMANCES AND 

MOVING PICTURES 



Southern Industrial Educational Association 

(Inc.) 

To promote industrial education among the impovprished, uneducated 

people of the Southern Appalachian Mountains 

HEADQUARTERS. SOUTHERN BUILDING, ROOM 325 
WASHINGTON. D. C. 

■^Pph for literature and information at above address 




MARTHA S. GIELOW 



A MOUNTAIN PAGEANT 

— of— 

Historic Tableaux and Symbolic Figures. 

Martha S. Gielow. 

Program. 

Patriotic Music. 

Prologue. 

Scene I. The Appalachians. 

Scene II. War Dance. 

Scene III. Kings Mountain. 

Scene IV. Washington Looking Upon the Ap- 
palachians. 

Scene V. The Shut-in Cabin Home. (A one- 

act scene.) 

Scene VI. The Mountain Girl's Dream. 

Scene VTI. The Soul of the Mountains. 

Scene VIII. Dawn. 

Pageant of Mountain Sprites axo Resources Ma- 
terial AND Human. 

1. Dance of the Fireflies. 

2. Dance of the Dewdrops. 

3. The Bluebells of the mountains. (Woodland 

fantasy with music.) 

4. The Arbutus. (Flower dance.) 

5. Mountain ferns. 

6. The Violets. 

7. The Laurel. 

8. The Oak. 

9. The Pine. 

10. The Rhododendron. 

11. The Minerals. 

12. The Human. 

13. Pageant of all characters. The little human 

still kneeling in foreground with outstretched 
arms in mute supplication. 

Curtain. 
(Music.) 



PROLOGUE. 

The story of the niotintain people is a part of the 
history of this country. Their ancestors were among 
our hest soldiers in the French and Indian wars. 
The}^ were among the pioneers of liberty. They 
turned the tide of battle at Kings Mountain and 
Cowpens, making possible the surrender of Corn- 
wallis at Yorktown and the independence of this 
nation. 

While history is replete with records of their 
bravery and valor, while the names of Sevier, Camp- 
bell, Shelby, Boone are honored and remembered, it 
is a startling and pathetic fact that thousands and 
hundreds of thousands of descendants of the revo- 
lutionary patriots who fought with those leaders 
have been practically lost to the nation nearly two 
hundred years. And stranger still is the fact that 
the strong arm of the nation has not been stretched 
forth to rescue and conserve this valorous stock. 

Of all the great waste of American wealth, the 
waste of her own men and women of the mountains 
is the most tragic. Without a thought to the con- 
servation of the human resources of the Appa- 
lachians, this vast undeveloped asset has been neg- 
lected and forgotten except where the law has been 
broken. 

Tf the facts and the results of cause and efifect 
were carefully weighed a mighty responsibility would 
be found resting at the very door of this nation. 

Isolation and poverty and lack of opportunity are 
strong forces for annulling the best instincts in hu- 



mankind, and yet, though cut off from progress and 
education, and though **more destitute of all the 
opportunities that go with education than any other 
people of our race in the world," these people of the 
eighteenth century civilization still preserve many 
of the finest traits of the Anglo-Saxon race. 

When America calls for aid. her mountaineers 
have been ever ready to respond with their valor, 
their blood, their all. The mountaineers now call 
to the nation for the rights that are their due, — en- 
lightened citizenship and a chance to lift themselves 
from the darkness of long neglect and isolation. 

A glimpse of our great Appalachians and its long 
lost people is picturesquely told in the following 
pageant of historic tableaux and symbolic figures. 



MOUNTAIN PAGEANT 

— of— 

Historic Tableaux and Symbolic Figures. 

Martha S. Gielow. 

Program z^'iih Lines and Description. 

Scene I. The Appalachians. 

This great Mountain Range is seen in all its wild 
grandeur. Caravans of Colonial families are seen 
passing along into the dark fastnesses. Men with 
guns, women with babies, and bundles, dogs, calves, 
sheep, etc. Indians are seen spying among the rocks 
and noting the trail. 

Scene II. JJ\ir Dance. 

Indians headed by Red Eagle in a war dance. 
Squaws and papooses take part and make wild ges- 
tures of angry threats to follow the caravans that 
have been seen passing into the mountains. 

Scene III. Kings Mountain. 

A supposed review of its blood-stained battlefield 
by heroes of revolutionary fame. John Sevier, James 
Robertson, Isaac Shelby, George Rogers Clark, An- 
drew Jackson, and Daniel Boone. 

A camp fire is burning and guards are standing 
at rest, the flag is flying from the point of a huge 
boulder towering above. The men are in eager 
conversation, noting positions and pointing to cer- 
tain trees, blood-stained rocks, and other evidences 
of the late victorious conflict. 

Scene IV. Washington Looking upon the Appa- 
lachians. 
Washington in picturesque prominence (alone or 
surrounded by his officers and aides) is seen in 
regimental costume standing with one foot resting 
on the base of a huge boulder. He looks out upon 
the mountains as if seeing the caravans of the hun- 
dreds of his heroic troops who have crossed with 
their families into the Appalachians starting in 
search of homes in the reputed fertile valleys beyond. 
He seems to feel the impending darkness that over- 



shadows them. He is silent, but the reader of the 
prologue may be heard in sonorous tones to read the 
following lines which might supposedly be descriptive 
of the thoughts of the great General pondering over 
the recent historic battle and subsequent events and 
his fear for their safe exit from the mountains. 

"I see the Mountains stand 
Silent, wonderful and grand," 
Looking out upon the Nation 
Where the golden light of God's creation 
Smiles upon the freedom w^on, 
B}^ the stahvart mountain son. 
When we called for reinforcement. 
When our last resource was spent. 
From yon hills heroic henchmen, 
Rushed to aid our dying trenchmen, 
And the battle all but lost 
Soon was won — with bloody cost ! 
Appalachians, great and grand. 
Mighty Monarchs of the land, 
Thou didst answer to our call, 
With thy sons, thy blood, thy all ! 
To thy mountain heroes brave, 
Sleeping in a valley grave. 
We do give thee grateful love, 
Asking blessings from above, 
On thy living sons, whose pride. 
Is for those who bravely died. 
Farewell brothers, comrades, friends, 
Go and seek the valley plains. 
Where 'tis said such plenty reigns. 
Never may thy children fall. 
Yet within yon granite wall, 
Yet within yon wild bleak height, 
Seems some long endarkened night ! 
But the soldier knows no fear. 
And the Star of Hope seems near, 
And the morning sun must rise, 
Upon 3'our mighty enterprise. 
For you are men that "match our Mountains," 
You are men "that match our plains." 
Men and women like the Highlands, 
Where the Anglo-Saxon reigns ! 
Curtain. 



10 

Scene V. Shut-iii Cabin Home. (One-act scene.) 
One-roomed, windowless mountain cabin, rock 

chimney, bare and bleak environment. 

The mountain mother is sitting on a large rock 

holding her babe, surrounded by six or eight other 

children, variously occupied. 

Old-fashioned weavings are hanging to air on the 

bushes and rocks. A spinning wheel is seen at the 

side of the cabin where one little child is playing 

with the threads. 

Mother to one of the girls. 

"Go pull in them thar kivers Randy, hit's er gitten 
plum damp." Randy pulls down the quilts and half 
drags them inside. 

Mother to another girl. 

"Fetch them sticks, Sary Ann, fer the fire." (Baby 
lifts up and looks.) Sary Ann goes to picking up 
sticks in a mountain bow basket. The older girl 
appears at the cabin door stirring up bread in a 
skillet. As she stands in the door, she calls : 
"You, Billy, cum long here with that water." 
Billy comes in from the rocks holding a long-neck 
gourd of water and proceeds to pour some in the 
skillet. The small children sitting on the rocks and 
dirt, poorly clad, look wistfully at the bread making. 
The old mountaineer father walks up with his long- 
rifle, rests the gun against a 'tree, seats himself on 
the tree stump and makes ready to smoke his corn- 
cob pipe. 

The Mother. 

"Whar's Rotundv. Paw?" 



11 

Father. 

"He's er cumin' Maw." Shakes his head reflectively 
and says : 

''Roe's er plum sight on them books, sence the 
fotch-on teacher started that school in the bend." 

Mother. 

"Do tell ! Kin he read yit ?" 

Father. 

"Wal, mighty nigh ! From the way he takes to 
it, he'll be er lookin' jest like them ole fighters what 
got lost er crossing these here mountings an' what 
left us these here old guns." ( Fingers his ride affec- 
tionately.) Looks up with a brave air, and says : 

"Wal, the nation knows whar to look for fighters 
when fighters is needed, by Gosh !" 

Rotundy, a long, lank mountain boy. comes up 
slinging a rabbit by the tail. 

Mother. 

"Lan' sakes er live, he's got er critter ef Fm in my 
skin! Whar'd you git im. Roe?'' 

Roe. 

"Dad kotched him." ( All the children gather 
round.) Roe pulls out some wild berries from his 
ragged shirt front, and pokes one in a kindly way 
to each child, then takes out a blue back spelling 
book, sprawls his legs, points at the words and be- 
gins— 

"B-a. bay, b-e. be, b-i. by, b-o, bo." 

Mother. 

"Jest listen to that now ! Do tell ! What's that 
mean, Roe?" 



12 

Father (excitedly). 

■'Why hit's readin', Maw. Say it again, Roe. 
Praps hit'l splain hitself." 

Roe (begins again). 

"B-a. bay, b-e, be, b-i, by, b-o, bo." (Mother and 
father looking over his shoulder.) 

Mother. 
"Is hit the Bible, Roe?" 

Roe. 

"Wal not zackly, but hit's larnin', see here." (Be- 
gins again.) 

"B-a, bay, b-e. be. b-i. by. b-o, bo." 

Father. 

"By Gosh ! Ef that aint the quickest edycation I 
ever seed. Jes two days ! By Gosh ! Bring that 
jug, Randy." 

Randy brings jug, they all drink. Night closes 
down, a torch is held in the door by the eldest girl, 
who says : 

"Cum eat." They all pile in. 

Curtain. 



13 

Scene VI. The Mountain Girl's Dream. 

Same typical mountain-cabin in foreground (like 
cabin picture). Family in evidence. The man 
and old woman on rock step smoking cob-pipes, 
children around. On a big rock off to itself sits a 
beautiful mountain girl of about thirteen years. She 
is thinking of all the traditions handed down by her 
people. She dreams of the outside world her peo- 
ple had left one hundred and fifty years before and 
longs for the light of learning and better living. The 
pent-up desires in her heart rush forth and she rises, 
still looking out across the impenetrable mountains, 
holding her arms out in supplication. The following- 
lines are read by the prologue reader : 

'T see the mountains stand, 
Silent, wonderful and grand, 
Looking out across the land 
Where the golden light is falling 
On distant dome and spire ; 
And I hear a low voice calling, 
'Come up higher, come up higher 
From the lowlands and the mire, 
From the mist of earth desire, 
From the vain pursuit of pelf. 
From the altitude of self, 
Come up higher, come up higher.' " 
And the calling, echoes faintly, 
Down the mountains to the plains. 
Will it touch with pathos softly. 
Thinking men of wealth and brains? 
Will the call for light and learning. 
From the hill-tops just above, 
Where the mountain-child is yearning, 
For a chance to live and love. 
Ever reach with higher purpose, 
Those within the nation bold 
That can reach out and can rescue. 
Wasted lives and human gold? 
Let the bugle-note be sounded 
For the conservation grand, 
Of the men and of the women 
In our own beloved land. 
Curtain. 



14 
ScKNE VII. The Soul of Ihc MoiDitains. 

Music is heard soft and weird. This scene repre- 
sents the fulfihnent of Washington's fears for his 
brave troops that have started over the Appalachians. 
In other words, it typifies the (Mie hundred and 
fifty years of darkness and imprisonment of the 
thousands of people who were lost in trying to cross. 
Shut in by impassable boulders, forests and raging 
streams, they dreaded to continue and they feared 
to attempt to return. Camping to regain strength 
and courage they never passed on. One-room, win- 
dowless cabins were built by great labor, small tracts 
were cleared on the almost perpendicular hillsides 
for crops. Years came and went. By the world 
forgotten, the lost tribes of Colonial troops and their 
families fought for existence. Minus the ability to 
replenish their few tools and implements, cut off 
from aid, progress, education, and civilization they 
peopled the mountains and struggled for existence. 
With only the traditions and memories of the world 
beyond handed down by their heroic fathers and 
mothers, they hoped, yes, ever hoped for the light 
of the world to penetrate their darkness. Prospec- 
tors, trappers and missionaries began at last to seek 
out the mountain fastnesses. Railroads were nearing 
the golden hills containing the vast areas of material 
wealth and the unmined gold of America's human 
resources. 

The scene is weird and mystical. The curtain 
rises. A blue hazy gloom envelopes the mountains, 
typifying the years of darkness to the people. A 
kneeling figure typifying the soul of the people, 
calling for light, is faintly seen in the blue misty 
gloom. A voice is heard to speak (the voice of 



15 

the figure, or it may be read by the unseen reader 
of the prologue and epilogues). Voice of the soul.) 

Lost, lost within these granite walls. 

The Spirit for its freedom calls. 

One hundred years and more of strife, 

To keep within our bodies life. 

By the outside world forgot. 

Sore and sad our bitter lot. 

Now we to our nation call. 

Now upon our knees wc fall 

Asking only to be led 

Out of darkness, out of dread. 

Out of ignorance, and its blight ! 

Curtain falls, then rises almost immediately ; soft 
music is heard. 

Curtain. 



16 

Scene VIII. Dazvn. 

Same mountains, same misty light, but the sun 
typifying the dawn of educational light is seen just 
rising in a red glow over the mountains. Mountain 
sprites appear, symbolic figures of the material 
wealth and beauty, brought up in the rear by a 
typical nugget of human gold. Symbolic of the 
Nation's human resources and valuable, undeveloped 
human assets. 

Pageant of Mountain Sprites, Material and Hu- 
man Resources. 

1. Dance of the Fireflies. 

Enter these sprites of the mountains representing 
the golden fireflies that gem the mountains at night. 
Dressed in yellow gauze with wings and little flash 
lights in their hands, they flit about, make obeisance 
to the mountains and say (before they dance) : 

"Hail, mountains, hail ! We the gems that glow 
upon your breast at night must with the rising 
of thy sun take flight." Dance. 

2. Deicdrops. 

Figures in white gauze dotted with pearl beads, or 
isinglass. They make olieisance and before their 
misty dance, say : 

"Hail, mountains, hail ! We thy pearls of dew 
have watered well the tender grass and flowers, 
breathing perfume on tby rocks, thy woodland 
breast. Thy rising sun would dry our evening mist, 
till eve again, adieu, adieu!" Dance. 

3. Bluebells appear. 

"Hail, mountains, hail ! The bluebells of thy 
bosom worn by lovers in the mountain glens, bring 



17 

thee greetings from lovers far and near ; our emblem, 
gratitude, comes from those who bless thee for the 
blossoms blue that stand for hearts brave, warm 
and true; we nestle close, we would not hide, for 
lovers come where we abide." (Woodland fantasy 
dance.) 

4. Enter Arbutus. 
"Hail, mountains, hail ! 
Lovingly we cling. 
Tenderly we sing. 
Upon thy rocky crest. 
Happily we smile, 
Perfuming all the while, 

Thy fragrant breast." Dance. And then cling to 
the rocks. 

5. Enter the Ferns. 
"Hail, mountains, hail ! 

We deck the mossy banks of crystal streams. 
And festoon with our plumes thy naked rocks. 
Our emblem (fascination) we use. 
And serving all man -kind. 

By giving sweet jo>- and pleasure with our dainty 
frocks." Nestle among the rocks. 

6. The J'iolets. 

"Hail, mountains, hail ! 
Of all thy flowers rare. 
The violet is most fair. 
Colored like the sky above. 
To represent undying love, 
We are for lovers true. 
We are of Heaven's blue. 
We stand for God and vou." 



18 

7. The Laurel or Bay appears. Holding a laurel 

wreath towards the mountain. 

"Hail, mountains, hail ! 

T, thy laurel, sweet and fair. 

Do crown thee Monarch of all mountains rare. 

Reverence and merit do T represent. 

Appalachians, Appalachians ! I crown thee with 

thy great reserves of gold and human wealth. 

the glory of our land." Nestles in the rocks. 

8. The Oak. 

"Hail, mountains, hail! 

T the emblem of bravery do represent the soul of 
the mountain heroes brave, who from thy 
granite strongholds went to fill a valiant 
hero's grave." 

(Stands against the rocks.) 

9. Enter the Pine. 
"Hail, mountains, hail ! 

My emblem is lofty patriotism. 

T am but one of many of my kind that thou dost 

claim amongst the glories of the wealth of thy 

domain. 
The products from my leaves. m>- Ijurrs. my boughs, 

the floods of tar thou bleedest from my heart 

are thine, the loving products of thy Pine." 
Nestles like the others among the rocks. 

1(1. The Rhododeudrou. (Gorgeous pink.) 
"Hail, mountains, hail ! 
We. the fair adornment of thy peaks and mighty 

hills. 
Do bring thee words of praise from far and wide. 
For the glory of our beauty on the mountain side," 
Nestles to rocks. 



19 

11. The Minerals. Symbolic of minerals and ores: 

coal, iron, silver and gold. This sprite is 
clad in bronze and gold, holding a waiter of 
minerals on her head. 

"Hail, mountains, hail! 

Thy flowers and thy timbers fair, 

Are but as nothing to compare. 

To all thy gold and minerals rare. 

To the nation thou dost stand, 

Silent, wonderful and grand! 

Thy great resources now are known, 

The dawn has come, the night has flown." 

Kneels. 

12. The Human. 

The sun that has been gradually rising now lights 
up the rosy glow, it is now light. Following the 
last figure in the pageant this ragged, barefoot, un- 
combed child holding to the rocks, watching with 
eager eyes the receding pageant of the material re- 
sources, advances ; she looks beseechingly at the fig- 
ures, at the mountains, at the dawn, and in quaint 
imitation holds up her arms and says : 

"Hail, mountains, hail ! 

What do we'uns be? 

We-uns aint no flowers, 

We-uns aint no trees, 

No rocks, no gold. 

We-uns air jest the humans, 

In you-uns fold." 

Kneels with arms outstretched towards the audi- 
ence and continues to kneel there in silent supplica- 
tion as the pageant of all the characters take places 
to form tableau. Soft music. 
Curtain. 



JUN 8 1912 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




